Today, we do everything online. From ordering dinner to shopping for groceries, dating apps are now the go-to for making connections, modern love, especially for queers looking for romance. Dating apps provide filters for compatibility, and connect you with others who are also looking. But even with all the perks and lower-stakes conversations, lesbian dating apps can still feel like a minefield of ghosting, choice overload, and burnout. This guide breaks down the top lesbian dating apps today to help you find what works best without wasting your time.
I. How to Use Dating Apps for Lesbians
Dating apps are not what they used to be. At this point, most of them feel like overpriced slot machines, making you pay to maybe see a decent match. But every now and then, and with some dedication, they can work. Especially if you’re in a place like NYC (the most lesbian city in the world) or near some queer culture, you might find yourself with actual options. In smaller towns, it can feel like you are swiping through the same three people on repeat. For that, it’s helpful to use apps that let you extend your radius search or be placed in a location that you’d be open to commuting to.
And the best lesbian dating app to use is not always the sapphic-specific one. Sometimes, it’s just the one with the biggest dating pool, even if that means side stepping a few straights or bi-curious straight girls with man-centered prompts like “Looking for my future husband.” Listen, the key is to be intentional. On top of just finding sapphics, you also have to determine if they are actually putting in effort, or are you carrying the conversation? Are they taking forever to respond? If dating is not a priority for them, why should they be a priority for you? Unless you are cool with the bare minimum, do not waste your time. And ask yourself these same questions. What do you want, are you clear about it, and are you giving the effort you want to receive?
Zoe (Eh)
Zoe is a lesbian dating app that wants to be the go-to dating app for queer women. And honestly, it could be if it weren’t for the bots. Because there are less verification measures, even for email verification, anyone can come and go onto the app as they please.
The sleek design and detailed profiles set the stage for real connections, but unfortunately it is a small dating pool where many profiles feel like bots or scammers. Even “verified” accounts can look kinda sketchy, and if you want the best features, you’ll have to pay. If you’re patient or just desperate to escape mainstream dating apps, give it a try. But right now, Zoe feels more like a half-empty lesbian bar where you keep wondering if the cute girl in the corner is real or a hologram.
- App Store Rating: 4.5
- App Store Reviews: 32.4K
- Cost: Free. The premium version starts at $7.99/month.
HER (Worst)
HER wants to be more than a dating app. It is a sapphic social network for LGBTQ women, non-binary, and queer people (primarily lesbian and bi women), event planner, and community hub all in one, with an active queer community, fun events, and a setup for travelers. Likes can roll in fast, there are interest-based groups and even virtual speed dating.
HOWEVER, actually using HER is a nightmare. It’s a total mess. The ads are relentless, scammers and bots are everywhere, and it will still show you people outside of your filters. The user interface is awful and full of bugs and glitches. The idea, in essence, is great, but right now, the execution of HER is like a promising first date ruined by bad service, cacophony, and too many interruptions.
- App Store Rating: 4.4
- App Store Reviews: 54K
- Cost: Free. The premium version starts at $14.99/month
Hinge ★ (Best)
Hinge is open to everyone. But it’s very LGBTQ+ friendly. And because it’s so popular, has a simple and straightforward interface, and offers preference filters, it’s one of the biggest dating apps in the USA right now. That means, it’s also got a robust population of queers on it, too. So if you are a sapphic looking for something real, honestly… Hinge is where it’s at.
Most queer women I know in NYC who have actually had success in dating found it on Hinge. The app ditches the mindless swiping of Tinder for detailed profiles, fun prompts, and even voice or video features that make conversations feel less like a chore. You get a vibe check before you match, which is a lifesaver. AND you can set up a video date through the app (a MUST).
It is also surprisingly great for long-distance dating because you can choose your desired “location” anywhere, FOR FREE. This is great, given the lower local lesbian numbers in some places. This is huge in lesbian culture because oftentimes, our future girlfriend is just a couple of states or time zones away.
The downsides? Free users get a limited number of likes per day (but this is great so we are more intentional about each other’s swipes). And some extra perks are locked behind a paywall.
But compared to every other app, Hinge just works the most.
- App Store Rating: 4.4 (out of 929K reviews)
- Cost: Free. The premium version starts at $29.99/month
Taimi (Awful)
This app picked up a lot of traction on Lesbian TikTok a few years ago with ads and branded content. It looked so promising. Taimi marketed itself as an inclusive queer dating app with lots of cultural nuance.
However, it felt like I downloaded a virus. There was so much noise on the app, the notifications never stop, basic features are locked behind a paywall. The app felt cluttered and overwhelming. And despite all of this, the dating pool was surprisingly small. And the people on there, they were kind of creepy.
Worst of all? They ask you to take a photo of yourself, live, before you can even open the app. And when I downloaded it to screencap the interface for this article, I realized that IT STILL HAD ALL MY PHOTOS AND INFORMATION. It never got deleted!!!! Even though I deleted my account and the app. SO CREEPY.
Also – Taimi is mostly for gay men. And while it’s wonderful to want to combine romantic connections with a built-in queer community, it falls flat. Maybe because it’s co-founded by a straight guy who is an self-proclaimed ally, but might not get queer culture or what it’s like to navigate a dating app for queers? But there are way better alternatives out there for building queer community and events that are largely sapphic, like Lex for example (listed below).
- App Store Rating: 4.4
- App Store Reviews: 151K
- Cost: Free. The premium version starts at $14.99/month
Bumble (Eh)
Bumble is open to all, mostly straight people, but has some LGBTQ options. What makes Bumble different for the straights, is that on this app women make the first move.
It looks like a great option for sapphic dating. It has a sleek design, lets either person initiate in same-sex matches, and even offers Bumble BFF for friendships (which is honestly great for making straight friends) and Bumble Bizz for networking.
However, in reality, using Bumble as a sapphic feels like showing up to a party where everyone is straight and vaguely confused about why you are there. It’s VERY STRAIGHT. Finding queer matches takes patience, and even when you do, the 24-hour chat window often kills the conversation before it starts. Bumble BFF, which could be a great way to meet lesbian friends, but it’s mostly a sea of straight women planning brunch. If you ever forget how overwhelmingly hetero the world can be, spending a few minutes on Bumble will remind you.
- App Store Rating: 4.3
- App Store Reviews: 1.6M
- Cost: Free. The premium version starts at $24.99/month.
Feeld (for Poly)
Feeld is like a queer polygamous Tinder. You’ll see SO many “ethically non-monogamous” (ENM), the polyamorous, straight couples looking for a third (“unicorn”), and the “just seeing what’s out there” bi-curious crowd come to connect. Unlike mainstream apps that treat open relationships like a glitch in the system, Feeld is designed for it, making it one of the few spaces where open-minded dating structures are actually the norm.
This is kind of great, in that all the poly and unicorn-searching people can head here instead of clashing with all the monogamous people on other apps that don’t allow for monogamy-only filters. And for poly sapphics, it can be a refreshing change. The app offers a wide range of gender and sexuality options, prioritizes consent and communication, and feels like a judgment-free zone.
It’s also MASSIVELY filled with people into unconventional stuff. It’s very poly-intimacy-centered.
The user base can be small in some areas, so depending on where you are, finding quality matches can take patience.
- App Store Rating: 4.3
- App Store Reviews: 79.7K
- Cost: Free. The premium version starts at $11.99/month.
Lex ★ (Great …for friends)
Lex is 100% queer. It feels like a queer message board from the early internet, ditching swipes and selfies for old-school personal ads. Like a lesbian Craigslist, it is built for queer women, nonbinary, and gender-diverse people. While it technically calls itself a dating app, that is not where it shines. Lex is perfect for queer spaces, events, and connection.
But for dating, probably not. For romance, the vibe shifts fast. It goes from wholesome community-building to that chaotic Craigslist energy that’s honestly kind of creepy.
You’ll see people posting everything from niche gatherings to unhinged one-night stand requests. Also, beware that there are SO MANY scammers on here selling fake tickets for sold-out events. DO NOT BUY TICKETS ON LEX.
Lex is where you go to expand your queer social world, not to find The One. That said, you never know. The friends you make here might just introduce you to your future wife.
- App Store Rating: 4.3
- App Store Reviews: 3.3K
- Cost: Free.
Raya ★ (Great …for creative networking)
Raya is sort of like a dating app + creative networking with a VIP invite-only entrance (or tight application process). All of this combined, and it kinda felt like most people were too busy (or too cool) to chat with you after matching. And most bios are empty/low-effort energy.
The selective admission process is good in that it’s curated with lots of interesting people, but that also makes it notoriously difficult to get in. At the same time, as an influencer myself, it was nice to be in a space with other people who get what it’s like to live/work in the media industry, public eye, etc. I did come across a few celebrities, but I don’t think they’re really on Raya anymore.
Privacy is a top priority, so if you screenshot, you get booted. It is one of the few apps where you will consistently find a lot of interesting people doing something REALLY cool, like queer artists, musicians, and filmmakers. It feels like everyone is doing something or has eclectic interests, and that’s really cool if you’re driven and excited to meet other like-minded creatives, thinkers, and doers. I met some great women there, all of whom became platonic friends. None were creatives, they got in through referral.
I kind of really liked Raya because of how curated it can be due to the invite-only. Less scary crazies and no bots. But you still must swipe like 100 times to find one great friendship or connection. And the app only allows you to swipe like 10 times a day until you have to pay (on top of the monthly fee).
To expand your creative network and collect cool queer acquaintances, Raya can be a fun experiment with really interesting people.
- App Store Rating: 4.1
- App Store Reviews: 12.3K
- Cost: Subscription starts at $24.99/month. $50/month for more swipes.
OkCupid
OkCupid has been a dating website since 2004, and now also an app that positions effort at the forefront. It’s more traditional and intentional. While other apps push you into an endless cycle of swiping and hoping for the best, OkCupid slows things down with detailed profiles and match questions that actually matter. Instead of vague bios and three blurry selfies, you mostly get real insights into someone’s values, interests, and relationship goals.
For sapphics, it is one of the better options. The app is refreshingly LGBTQ-inclusive, offering a wide range of gender and sexuality options that make it feel like a space where queer dating is not an afterthought. And the best part? It starts free, with premium features available but not necessary to actually make it work.
- App Store Rating: 4.3
- App Store Reviews: 273K
- Cost: Free. The premium version starts at $9.95/month.
Tinder
Tinder is the OG of dating apps, the one that revolutionized online dating by introducing the swipe feature. It’s the one everyone downloads at some point. Tinder is fast, easy, and has the biggest user base, which means there is always someone to match with.
Tinder is also for everyone, and it’s LGBTQ-inclusive. But for sapphics, it is a minefield. The app is overwhelmingly straight, filled with bi-curious women who are open to exploring but still prioritizing men, along with the occasional unicorn hunter (couples looking for a third) lurking in the mix. Add in the bots, fake profiles, and the fact that Tinder is mostly built for hookups, and actually finding a solid match starts to feel like a full-time job.
That said, because there are so many users, there is a chance of finding someone great. You just have to dig through a lot of chaos to get there.
- App Store Rating: 4.1
- App Store Reviews: 1.4M
- Cost: Free. The premium version starts at $9.99/month.
eHarmony
The OG of dating online, eHarmony began in 2000 by a psychologist and aims to unite people who are compatible into long-term relationships using scientific methods. So if you are done with the endless swiping and flaky matches, eHarmony is where you go to find something more effort-based and intentional with serious people looking through more traditional effort.
This is not a hookup app or a casual dating experiment. It is built for long-term relationships. Think: long term. While it has always been a favorite among straight couples, it now includes LGBTQ+, making it a surprisingly more logistical choice for sapphics looking for serious commitment.
The catch is that you have to work for it. eHarmony’s compatibility matching system starts with a long, in-depth compatibility quiz for a personality assessment. The goal is to match you with people who align with your values and lifestyle, which means fewer awkward first dates with people who want completely different things. Love it!
The downside is that subscription is mandatory and it is expensive. But if you are ready to leave behind the chaos of modern swipe dating and actually invest in finding your person, eHarmony might be exactly what you are looking for.
- App Store Rating: 4.1
- App Store Reviews: 40.8K
- Cost: Subscription starts at $59.90/month.
III. Read More Lesbian Resources
- 43 Lesbian Questions to Ask Your Sapphic Date
- The Different Lesbian Types in Dating
- The Ultimate Guide to Your First Lesbian Date
- 9 Lesbian Flirting Tips to Show Interest
- Fun Lesbian Date Ideas